Detector mechanism



March 18, 1958 A. P. BATTEY DETECTOR MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet' l Filed Deo. 3l. 1953 c1/244mb F A ttorneyS March 18, 1958 A. P, BATTEY 2,327,293

DETECTOR MECHANISM Filed DGO. 5l. 1953 2 Sheets-Shea? 2 Inventor MB deem 75? maw my @May By Zalewugwfa A ttorn e yS United States Patent i DETECTOR MECHANISM Alfred Pierssene Battey, deceased, late of Rotherlield,

Crowborough, England, by Lillian Violet Battey, executrix, Rotherlield, England, assigner to R. W. Crabtree & Sons Limited Application December 31, 1953, Serial No. 401,616.

13 Claims. (Cl. 271-56) This invention relates to mechanism to detect the arrival (or non-arrival) of a moving sheet at a predetermined point at a predetermined time. Such a condition arises in various machines which operate upon sheets in succession; sheet-printing machines form an important example of such machines and in what follows, reference will for convenience be made to sheet-printing machines.

In sheet printing machines, it is necessary for proper operation of the machines that the passing of a sheet at a proper time be checked at one or more points in its travel to, through, or from the machine: if a sheet fails to respond to the check, it is necessary to cause the automatic operation of some device or other which will prevent damage to the machine and avoid mis-printing of the sheet.

Various proposals have been made for the purpose referred to, but these proposals are connected with the detection of sheets of a relatively imsy nature such as paper. This invention is concerned with the detection of sheets of relatively rigid material such as tin or stii paper or cardboard. In cases where the sheets are coated or printed it is very necessary that the detector shall not touch the surface of the sheet, the coating or printed impression on which could still be wet. Moreover, the rigidity of the sheet precludes the use of many detector arrangements, which rely for operation on the exibility of the sheets.

According to the present invention, use is made of a detecting mechanism, the detecting component of which is operated so as normally not to engage the sheet in its detecting operation. For this purpose, the detecting component' is moved in synchronism with the passing of sheets of sti material moving through a machine in regular succession in spaced relationship. The movement of the detecting component is timed so as to pass across the path of movement of the sheets past an edge of a properly located sheet. If the sheet is improperly located, the detecting component is arrested by engagement with it, and the arresting of the detector component is utilized to set into action a normally inactive control mechanism to effect a proper control on the machine through which the sheets are passing.

The detector component can conveniently be moved to and fro on its detecting movement by pneumatic apparatus operating to drive the detector through a resilient means which is enabled to yield if the detector component is arrested. The arresting of the detector component causes the continuing operation of the pneumatic means to set into action the control mechanism, which conveniently may comprise an electrical switch device.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a diagrammatic view showing the parts of this invention in position in a machine, and Figures 2-7 are views of the parts detached, Figures 2 and 3 being vertical sections on the line lI--ll of Figure 5 of the sheet detector unit in two different positions,

Figure 4 being a side elevation and Figure 5 being a plan AFice view while Figures 6 and 7 are views of the control valve' Vchines are well known and it is believed to be suicient to observe that the sheets must be in a certain position of the feed board at a certain time related to the operation of the printing machine. Such machines include a device to check whether a sheet is properly or normally located at the proper time and, if it is improperly or abnormally located to cause some operation (such as tripping the printing cylinders of the printing machine) to be eiected automatically.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved sheet detecting or checking arrangement which is intended for use where the sheets are of relatively stili material such as sheets of tin or cardboard. The mechanism of this invention comprises two units marked A and B in Figure l, the unit A being the detector which is operated pneumatically (i. e. by suction) at regular intervals under the control of a valve constituting the unit B, this valve being operated in phase with the printing machine through gearing indicated at C: if, in a manner to be described a sheet is detected as being incorrectly located at the time the detector is actuated, an electrical control signal is transmitted via the connection D to effect the necessary operation.

This operation may consist for example in cutting oil the supply of suction to sheet taking suckers which take a sheet from a pile of sheets to cause a cessation in the supply of sheets.

Again the operation may result in causing the printing cylinders of the printing machine to be tripped, an operation which is commonly used.

Referring now to Figures 2-5, the detector comprises a rubber insert 2 in the foot end of a plunger 3 which is slidable in a sleeve 4 fast with a ram or piston 5. The piston is slidable in a cylinder 6 to which a connection is made via a nipple 7 from a line 8 to which suction is intermittently applied at predetermined intervals related to the times of passing of a sheet. When suction is applied, the piston 5 is drawin down against the return action of a spring 9 and the downward movement of the piston 5 is transmitted to the plunger 3 through a shoulder 10 in the plunger to a second spring 11 which is interposed between that shoulder 10 and the plunger 3 which is thereby also moved.

The cylinder 6 is carried by Va back-plate or bracket 12 mounted on a rail 13 which is adjustable so that the detecting foot 2 can be adjusted in the direction of the travel (i. e. the length) of the sheets S to be detected.

The assembly would be set, in any particular case, so that when a sheet S is properly in position, the foot component 2 would pass down just behind the trailing end of a sheet as is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, that is, into the gap between the adjacent edges of two contiguous normally relatively located sheets. The downward movement of the detector component 2 is effected by the application of suction to the cylinder 6 which causes the piston 5, the sleeve 4, and the plunger 3 to move downwardly as a unit without relative movement between the parts. If, however, as is shown in Figure 3, the foot 2 engages a sheet by reason of its being incorrectly positioned, the foot 2 and therefore against the action of thesecond spring the plunger 3 and its detecting foot 2..

This relative movement is employed to actuate, in the arrangement shown, a switch i4 which, since it is actuated Patented Mar. 18, 1958' 3 only by Yrelative movement caused by `improper sheet arrival, is normally' inactive. For this purpose, the plunger 3 is extended byra rod 15 through the sleeve 4- and is securedto an operating blocii :16 having a 'cam surface 16 to operate a pawl 17 pivoted at 1S tofaV support 42 Yon. the' sleeve 4 at' its -uppenend .which is extended to provide aguide for the `block 16, the pawl 17, the sleeveV d, 4'., and the block l16 normally moving together. 'In the normal condition-therpawl'17 is held byfa spring '19' snug to'th'e cam surface 16': the pawl 17 has an'operating projection 17' which invthis normal condition is able to move freely past a switch-operating 'member 2t) pivoted at 21 andQloaded by a spring 22,V

this member 2Q having a switch-operating projection23. When, however, the plunger 3 is yarrested (as is shown .in Figure 3) by an incorrect sheet, the continued move.-

Vment ofthe sleeve 4 moves the pawl 17 over a cam sur- V tervals.. across the path vof andantothe,gantbetvveenethe the switch-operating member under the action of'the Y spring 22 is limited by a stop pin 26.

The operation of the Vdetector assembly is'controlled pneumaticallyrby suction pulses 'appliedtoiiit through the pipe line 8 under the control of Vthe valve untB. This unit comprises as is shown in Figures 6 and 7 a casing 27 having a Vsuction supply nipple 28V connected by a pipe line'29 to a Asource of vacuumand a nipple 30 receiving the pipe line 8 which extends to the detec- Vtor unit 'A. 'In the casing 27 isa rotor31 havinga 'control recess V32: the rotor is rotated through theggearing C (Figure l) in phase-with the operation `of theprinting machine andas the rotor rotates the recessv32 intermittently connects the lline 29 to the line andfs'o transmits thefsuction effecttothe detector unit-JA to Y cause itsxoperation in the manner already described.

'Drive to the rotor 31 isl eiected from a shaft 33 fand provision is made to enable adjustment of Ithe Vtiming of the vacuum kpulses to bernade:V for this purpose, the shaft has secured toit a notched plate 34'and the rotor. 31 is provided lwith a peg 35 to'enter any one ofthe notches. The casing 27 has a. retaining arm 36 which normally engages the end of the rotor'31 to hold it imposition *but` which can 'be-moved Vclear of the rotor to enable it to, vbe movedraxially to carry the Vpeg 35 clear of the plate 34, the rotor then being A,turned to .give kthe requiredltiming and' then rte-engaged with anotherY notch: VtheV rotor is provided'v'with a hand. knob 37 to enable itfto bei manipulated.

1t will be obvious `.that a number of units A may be Vdisposed at various points inthe travel of a sheet through the machine, the suction supply vbeing controlled to suit the time of arrival at theparticular point concerned.

The arrangement of this invention is'simple but reliable,

itrequiresthe connection to'it of only the exible supply line 8 and -the control iline D (whether this be -for' electrical or Huid-pressure control transmission) and so adjustmentV of the unit canY readily be effected.' Because ofthe minimum connections' to the unitY little obstruction is set up to the removal of a Vfaulty sheet or Yto the setting up of the machine.'

YWhat is claimed is;

Vil. Betectornnechanismcfor clzreckjng-'thellocation of sheets aofsrel'atively :stiifmaterial'whichimove in a path through'famachineduringanormal operation vof the ma; chine'in regular succession with a Vgap Vbetween them, 'said detector mechanism comprisinga' v'detector component;

Y means-to'move 'the'deteetor 'component 'at regular innormal operation of the machinegfsaid meohanismcomadjacent edges of two contiguous normally relatively located sheets; means for timing said movements of the detector component to coincide with the presentation to the component of the gaps between normally located sheets; normally inactive meansjto control the operation of the machine; and means responsiveto engagement of said component with an abnormally located sheet 'with prevention of movement of isaid,detectorcomponen@k across the path of the sheets to renderytliefcontrolimeans active.

2. Detector mechanism for checking'the-Vloca'tioniof sheets of relatively stii materialV whiCllJlovev inapath througha machineV during normal operation of the ma-V chine in regular succession .with afgapsbetween them, said detector mechanism comprising a detector component; means to move the detector component at regular intervals across the; path .ofgand :.into; the gap .between the adjacent edges'of two'contiguous-normallyrelatively located sheets; meansl for timing ,said movements of 'the detector component fto cause the detector to move past'. anedge portion-of the sheets and out of engagement Y Vwith normally locatedr sheets.; `normally:inactive "means to control the operation' of themachi-ne; and means responsive to engagement of said 'componentVA with 'an abnormally locatedy sheet with prevention `'of'gmove'ment of said detector component across Ythe path ofthe .sheets 'to render the control meansactive.

3. Detector mechanism forfchecking the locationv of sheets of relatively sti'frnaterial whichv movein a path'V through a mach-ine during 'normal operation tof .the machine in regular succession in spaced relationship, saidf mechanism Ycomprising a detector component, vpneumatically Voperable means to :move Ythe detector com-V ponent at intervals across the Vpathofnrovement ofj'the sheets and betweenfthe adjacent edgesofmo'contiguous normally relatively` located sheets; means for Vtimingzsaid movements ofV the detector component'toicause said detectev tor' component to move past an yedge of `a normally lof cated sheet and out of engagement therewith; normally inactive electrical switch means fortransmitn'ng an elec-v trical 'control signal for Pcontrolling the operation of the machine; and means responsive Yto Vengagement of' said component with an abnormally located sheet with pre.

ventionof movement of said detector component across th@ Path of the.: sheets-to'y render the swit'cnmeansactir/e.

4. Detector mechanismfor.checkingxhe locationoty sheets of relatively stii materialwhich move throughfa machine 'in 'regular succession in spaced relation during' V'normal operation of the machine; .said mechanism 'corn-L prising a detector component; means for. moving the component across'thepath of movement of said sheets be-V tween 'the adjacent edges of and .out 4of `.engagement with normally located adjacent sheets;.resilient'imeans mount. ing said, component and,permitting.arr.esting .of .movement of said component nponrits iengagementwithan abnormally :located: sheet 'duringl lcontinued operation-*of said component moving means; normally inactivecontrol means for controlling the operation of said' machine; and 'means 'responsive to the arresting of movement of said cornpcment by itsY Clagement with van `abnormally located sheet for rendering said-control means active.

5. Detector-mechanism for :checking 'the' location'of sheets .of relatively stit' `material which move through VVa machine' in regular succession =infspfaced relation during prisinga detectorcornponent; pneumatic meansfor movingdthe componentacross the Vpath of movement of .said sheetsbetwenfhe.adiacent edges of andeutet engager. ment with .normally located adjacent' Vsheets;resilient. mnsilititiugfsald d "611 A n f of movement oisa'id "component vupt'nitsenga ment with' an Vabnrm'allylocated sheet during Continued opera.'

tionV 'of' said pneumatic meansgnor'ma'lly inactive, control Vmeans for'con'trollirlg `the 'operation of Ysaid machine;

and means responsive to the arresting of movement of said component by its engagement with an abnormally located sheet for rendering said control means active.

6. Detector mechanism for checking the location of sheets of relatively stil material which move through a machine in regular succession in spaced relation during normal operation of the machine; said mechanism comprising a detector component; means for moving the component across the path of movement of said sheets between the adjacent edges of and out of engagement with normally located adjacent sheets; means for timing the movement of said component to coincide with the presentation to said component of the space between successive normally located sheets; resilient means mounting said component and permitting arresting of movement of said component upon its engagement with an abnormally located sheet during continued operation of said component moving means; normally inactive control means for controlling the operation of said machine; and means responsive to the arresting of movement of said component by its engagement with an abnormally located sheet for rendering said control means active.

7. Detector mechanism for checking the location of sheets of relatively stift material which move through a machine in regular succession in spaced relation during normal operation of the machine; said mechanism comprising a detector component; pneumatic means for moving the component across the path of movement or" said sheets between the adjacent edges of and out of engagement with normally located adjacent sheets; means for timing the movement of said component to coincide with the presentation to said component of the space 1between successive normally located sheets; resilient means mounting said component and permitting arresting of movement of said component upon its engagement with an abnormally located sheet during continued operation of said pneumatic means; normally inactive control means for controlling the operation of said machine; and means responsive to the arresting of movement of said component by its engagement with an abnormally located sheet for rendering said control means active.

8. Mechanism as set forth in claim 7 in which the timing means includes a valve for controlling the operation of said pneumatic moving means.

9. Mechanism for checking the location of sheets of relatively stit material which move in a path through a machine during normal operation of the machine in regular succession with a gap between them, said mechanism comprising a cylinder; a ram mounted in said cylinder for reciprocating movement; means for reciprocating said ram; a plunger mounted in said ram and movable therewith across the path of movement of the sheets out of engagement with normally located sheets during normal operation of the machine, and capable of movement relative to said ram upon engagement of said plunger with an abnormally located sheet; normally inactive control means for controlling the operation of the machine; and means responsive to relative movement of said ram and plunger for rendering said control means active.

10. Mechanism for checking the location of sheets of relatively stiff material which move in a path through a machine during normal operation of the machine in regular succession with a gap between them, said mechanism comprising a cylinder; a ram mounted in said cylinder for reciprocating movement; means for reciprocating said ram; a plunger mounted in said ram and movable therewith across the path of movement of the sheets out of engagement with normally located sheets during normal operation of the machine, and capable of movement relative to said ram upon engagement of said plunger with an abnormally located sheet; means for timing reciprocating movement of said ram so that movement of said plunger coincides with the presentation to said plunger of the gap between successive normally located sheets; normally inactive control means for controlling the operation or the machine; and means responsive to relative movement of said ram and plunger for rendering said control means active.

11. Mechanism for checking the location of sheets of relatively stitlc material which move in a path through a machine during normal operation or" the machine in regular succession with a gap between them, said mechanism comprising a cylinder; a ram mounted in said cylinder for reciprocating movement; means for reciprocating said ram; a plunger slidably mounted in said cylinder and projecting from one end of said ram and being movable with said ram so as to cross the path of movement of said sheets at regular intervals timed to coincide with the presentation to said plunger of the gap between successive normally located sheets, said plunger being slidable relatively to said ram upon engagement of said plunger and an abnormally located sheet; normally inactive control means for controlling the operation of the machine; and means responsive to relative movement of said ram and plunger for rendering said control means active.

12. Detector mechanism for checking the location ot" sheets of relative stift material which move through a machine in regular succession in spaced relation during normal operation of the machine, said mechanism comprising a cylinder; a ram mounted for reciprocating movement relative to said cylinder; a sheet detector component; means connecting said sheet detecting component to said ram so that reciprocation of said ram normally causes corresponding movement of said detector component across the path of movement of the sheets but out of engagement with normally located sheets, engagement of said sheet detecting component with an abnormally located sheet arresting the movement of said sheet detecting component; means for reciprocating said ram; normally inactive control means for controlling the operation of said machine; and means responsive to the arresting of movement of said sheet detector component for rendering said control means active.

13. Detector mechanism for checking the location of sheets of relatively stiff material which move through a machine in regular succession in spaced relation during normal operation of the machine, said mechanism comprising a cylinder; a ram mounted for reciprocating movement relative to said cylinder; a sheet detector component; means connecting said sheet detector component to said ram so that reciprocation of said ram normally causes corresponding movement of said detector component across the path of movement of the sheets but out of engagement with normally located sheets, engagement of said sheet detecting component With an abnormally located sheet arresting the movement of said sheet detecting component; means for reciprocating said ram; means for timing movement of said ram in sheet detecting direction so that movement of said sheet detector component in a corresponding direction coincides with the presentation to said detector component of the spaces between successive normally located sheets; normally inactive control means for controlling the operation of said machine; and means responsive to the arresting of movement of said sheet detector component for rendering said control means active.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

